Is Jonah a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Jonah is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Jonah?

It’s currently ranked #122 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Jonah?

JOH-nuh · IPA: //ˈdʒoʊ.nə//

Jonah Boy

Popularity: #122 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: dove; English: derived from Hebrew

Historical & Cultural Background

Jonah is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the word for 'dove'. In the Hebrew Bible, Jonah is a prophet known for being swallowed by a great fish. The story of Jonah has been influential in various religious traditions, symbolizing themes of repentance and divine mercy. The name has been used in various cultures and languages, maintaining its popularity over centuries.

Trend Summary

The name Jonah has seen a steady rise in popularity in the United States over the past few decades.

Variants

Jonas
Jonny

International Variants

Jonás (Spanish)
Jonas (Latin)
Yona (Hebrew)
Noé (French)

Famous people named Jonah

Jonah Hill is an American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in films such as 'Superbad' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street'.

Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby player who gained fame for his exceptional speed and strength on the field.

Jonah Lehrer is an American author and journalist recognized for his writings on neuroscience and creativity.

Jonah Bobo is an American actor known for his performances in films like 'Zathura' and 'The Greatest'.

Fictional characters named Jonah

Jonah is a character in the animated series 'Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie', where he is portrayed as a prophet.

Jonah Hex is a character from DC Comics, known as a bounty hunter in the Wild West.

Sibling Suggestions

Isaac Eli Levi Samuel Micah Asher

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jonah was first seen in the United States in 1880. Jonah has ranked as high as #247 nationally which occurred in 2008 and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Jonah has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Jonah (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	335	12%
CA	309	11%
NY	166	6%
FL	159	6%
OH	132	5%
NC	113	4%
PA	102	4%
GA	89	3%
MI	81	3%
IL	75	3%
VA	73	3%
TN	70	3%
MO	62	2%
WA	61	2%
IN	59	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	8
1881	5
1882	5
1883	10
1884	11
1885	16
1887	11
1888	6
1889	7
1890	9
1891	8
1892	8
1893	7
1895	7
1896	5
1897	6
1898	8
1899	7
1900	11
1902	6
1903	5
1904	5
1905	7
1906	5
1907	10
1908	17
1909	5
1910	6
1911	18
1912	15
1913	18
1914	19
1915	33
1916	32
1917	25
1918	31
1919	25
1920	47
1921	33
1922	44
1923	32
1924	33
1925	33
1926	21
1927	29
1928	30
1929	27
1930	19
1931	17
1932	23
1933	24
1934	36
1935	27
1936	33
1937	24
1938	18
1939	31
1940	29
1941	26
1942	25
1943	31
1944	20
1945	30
1946	26
1947	19
1948	26
1949	17
1950	22
1951	36
1952	38
1953	32
1954	20
1955	43
1956	32
1957	28
1958	25
1959	22
1960	28
1961	21
1962	33
1963	25
1964	31
1965	33
1966	20
1967	30
1968	39
1969	44
1970	70
1971	161
1972	154
1973	130
1974	151
1975	132
1976	185
1977	226
1978	168
1979	390
1980	394
1981	385
1982	287
1983	260
1984	269
1985	268
1986	235
1987	290
1988	243
1989	260
1990	239
1991	246
1992	224
1993	449
1994	1,179
1995	1,371
1996	1,569
1997	1,621
1998	1,465
1999	1,710
2000	1,833
2001	1,982
2002	2,312
2003	2,431
2004	2,296
2005	2,222
2006	2,411
2007	2,510
2008	2,981
2009	2,718
2010	2,775
2011	2,867
2012	2,955
2013	2,902
2014	2,920
2015	2,913
2016	2,778
2017	2,523
2018	2,725
2019	2,693
2020	2,819
2021	2,735
2022	2,749
2023	2,895
2024	2,879